SENarts series back with artists exhibits, talks and demonstrations at Nevada Legislature

Feb. 4, 2015

 

Some of Northern Nevada’s finest traditional, folk and contemporary artists will appear at the 2015 Nevada State Legislature in “The Work of Artists,” a series of interactive talks and demonstrations that bring a personal side to exhibited pieces. Designed to create an opportunity for artists to engage with community members and people working in or visiting the Nevada State Legislative Building, the presentations are at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 18 and 24, March 19 and 30, April 17 and May 7. All are free and open to the public in Room 3100.

“The Work of Artists” is presented by the Nevada Arts Council, a division of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, SENarts and Capital City Arts Initiative. SENarts is a partnership between the Nevada Senate, Nevada Arts Council, Nevada Division of Museums and History and the Brewery Arts Center. In a small and welcoming environment, each artist will offer insight into the work they do, the art they make and the talent it takes to produce their treasures.

Scheduled are:

Baskets of the World with Sande Rowan, Carson City

Wednesday, Feb. 18, 3:30-5 p.m.

Sande Rowan is a professional basket maker, teacher and author. Working with Native basket makers in the southwest, Rowan learned the ancient pine needle coiling techniques, which she has incorporated into her personal style. During her presentation, “Baskets of the World,” Rowan will share a brief history of basket making and demonstrate the traditional coiling techniques she continues to practice and pass on to her students today.

Rowan’s work will be on display at the LXS Gallery (located on the first floor of the Legislative Building across from the Caucus Del) from Feb. 2- 20.

The Magic of Masks with Michelle Lassaline, Reno

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 3:30-5 p.m.

Carson City native Michelle Lassaline’s exhibits of landscapes and performances in her hand-made papier-mache animal masks draw audiences of all ages. Lassaline’s work has been featured at the Nevada Museum of Art, Sierra Arts Foundation, St. Mary’s Art Center, UNR and Sierra Nevada College. For her “Work of Artists” presentation, Lassaline invites the public to meet and interact with some of her fanciful characters, including the Highland Cow, Pashmina Goat, Mountain Bluebird, and Wild Burro. The performance is also co-sponsored by the Capital City Arts Initiative.

Chinese Calligraphy with Sonia Carlson, also called Xian Na, Gardnerville

Thursday, March 19, 3:30-5 p.m.

Sonia Carlson, also Xian Na, learned folk dances as a child growing up in Zhangzhou, China. From her aunt, she learned the Tuan Shan or fan dance, the Xin Jiang regional dance and Tai Ji forms. Through the lessons, Carlson developed a lifelong interest in sharing Chinese culture through dance, music and the arts. In 1987 Carlson moved from China to the Gardnerville area where she continues to teach traditional Chinese dances to family and community members. Carlson’s presentation intertwines cultural notes about China and Chinese New Year traditions – teaching and encouraging participants to try calligraphy, origami, crafts and games.

Natural Dye Introduction with Sarah Lillegard, Reno

Wednesday, March 30, 3:30-5 p.m.

Reno based artist Sarah Lillegard is a mixed media artist whose work draws on the traditions of handcrafts and western icons. Hailing from a family of quilters and craftsmen, her artistic process relies heavily on touch and the physicality of art making, working with a variety of materials such as wool, denim, leather and thread. In her workshop, “Natural Dye Introduction,” co-sponsored by Capital City Arts Initiative, Lillegard will demonstrate simple and safe processes she uses to dye fibers with natural materials harvested in Nevada backyards.

Lillegard’s work will be on display at the OXS Gallery through April 17. The OXS Gallery is at the Nevada Arts Council’s Carson City office at 716 N. Carson Street, Suite A and is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Tule Duck Decoys with Mike Williams, Fallon

Friday, April 17, 3:30-5 p.m.

Born and raised in Carson City, Mike Williams is a member of the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe dedicated to creating accurate replicas of duck hunting tools in the Numu or Northern Paiute tradition. Williams will demonstrate how he creates tule duck decoys, and share the Tule Duck Decoy story – the powerful role of the tule plant in the everyday lives of the Numu, and the symbolic significance of the duck decoy in recognizing a culture that has flourished and adapted to changes in the Great Basin for thousands of years.

RenoScapes with Paula Saponaro, Carson City

Thursday, May 7, 3:30-5 p.m.

Paula M. Saponaro, a familiar face to those who work and visit the Legislative Building and 30-plus-year resident of Nevada, closes the 2015 series. Saponaro’s paintings investigate the inherent design of our high desert landscape as well as characteristics of urban constructions. She uses a wide and unique combination of media to achieve her signature painting style including watercolor, gouache, acrylic, oil, pastel and collage. Saponaro will discuss her latest series “NV150 RenoScapes”, a portfolio that honors some of the Biggest Little City’s most iconic images.

Nevada Arts Council

The Nevada Arts Council NAC, a division of the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, was created as a state agency in 1967. With offices in Carson City and Las Vegas, the agency’s mission is to enrich the cultural life of the state through leadership that preserves, supports, strengthens and makes accessible excellence in the arts for all Nevadans. NAC programs serve as a catalyst to stimulate artistic, cultural and economic activity across the state, ensure lifelong learning in the arts for all Nevadans and increase public and private support for the arts. Visit our website at nac.nevadaculture.org or call (775) 687-6680 for more information.